Suitable car cover with radio aerial at rear of roof

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure it's happened in previous years, but this year the sticky residue being deposited on our car has been driving me nuts. It's coming from an Acer, and there's not another spot on the drive where we can park it. 

DH suggested that he could rig up a canopy, and meanwhile I've covered it with a couple of old sheets each night. The roof is a sticky mess, but the front and rear windscreens are clear. Note it hasn't rained since I started doing this, so I have not yet had the problem of two very soggy sheets to deal with. 

Then I thought, why not get a car cover for it? It would help in the autumn too, when the Acer drops its leaves, and I clear them off the roof to stop it discolouring in pretty leaf shapes. 

So I've had a bit of a google, but not a single cover seems to make provision for the radio aerial, which is roof mounted and sticks up and out. I think it unscrews, but I can't see me wanting to do that every time. 

or do I just fling it over the top, aerial and all? 

Recommendations and suggestions welcome ... 

forgotmyname

Are we talking the longer style of beesting antennas or the stubby one?

The longer one can often be unscrewed leaving just the mounting base, some foam around that

can protect a cover.

Having used caravan covers in the past, they seem like a good idea at the start until you need to remove it

which usually left me feeling like I have just crawled out of a swamp.

Removing the cover is often not a nice feeling.  I resorted to just washing the caravan more often and using a

protective wax polish so that if usually just required a very quick wash to remove the debris.

daveyjp

Unless you are going to wash the car before using the cover avoid using them, your roof will get covered in scratches. If you put one on a wet car and the temp drops below freezing the cover can stick to the car.

Consider having a clear protective film applied instead.

Savvy_Sue

forgotmyname said:

Are we talking the longer style of beesting antennas or the stubby one?

The longer one can often be unscrewed leaving just the mounting base, some foam around that

can protect a cover.

I guess it's about 18" long: I don't know if that is longer or shorter, but I am fairly sure we have unscrewed it and replaced it historically. I'm not sure I'd want to bother doing that every time we park it. 

Savvy_Sue

daveyjp said:

Unless you are going to wash the car before using the cover avoid using them, your roof will get covered in scratches. If you put one on a wet car and the temp drops below freezing the cover can stick to the car.

Consider having a clear protective film applied instead.

Noted. Clear protective film? Wouldn't that then get equally sticky, or is there a repellent version?

Savvy_Sue

Thanks both, useful to have the experience of those who've used them. 

To be clear, it's the practical aspect of the stickiness on the front and rear windscreen which is bugging me: I've had to wash them before driving off several times, and unstick the windscreen wipers too. The car itself is 15 years old and has not been cherished as much as it might have been. 

And sadly, the hand car wash we used to use has just closed ...

facade

A cover outside has too many disadvantages, the main three being:

1) They are a massive chore to fit. They have to be carefully secured with many straps that pass under the car, otherwise a breath of wind will see the cover flapping about and removing what passes for "paint" nowadays. (It is best if the cover is exactly tailored to the car too, to minimise bagginess & flappiness) A Proper Cover will have a tailored under cover that protects the paint that you fit first- even more time & trouble!

2) They are a massive chore to remove and store, especially when wet, or in your case covered in gunk.

3) Any dirt/dust/chem trail fall-out on the surface of the car will be ground into the paint, and stick to the inside of the cover to be continually ground into the paint, so the car has to be clean when you fit the cover.

If ever you "Can't be bothered now- I'll put the cover on later, or "It's only half an hour 'till I go out again, I won't put the cover on" the gunk will get on the inside of the cover and then continually transfer back to the car.

Best Plan is to get a tree surgeon to either remove the whole tree, or just the branches that overhang the car.

Second best is to contrive a car port style canopy, but these tend to act as kites in any more than a gentle breeze.

DullGreyGuy

Savvy_Sue said:

forgotmyname said:

Are we talking the longer style of beesting antennas or the stubby one?

The longer one can often be unscrewed leaving just the mounting base, some foam around that

can protect a cover.

I guess it's about 18" long: I don't know if that is longer or shorter, but I am fairly sure we have unscrewed it and replaced it historically. I'm not sure I'd want to bother doing that every time we park it. 

You will very quickly have the same feeling about the car cover, it is much more faff to put it on and off each time than removing/attaching the aerial 

Savvy_Sue

Thanks all, for the moment I'll persevere with the sheets, which I just trap inside the doors. Waiting to see what happens when it finally rains ... will the water stay outside or soak down inside the car???

And I'll contact my tree surgeon and ask him to schedule some trimming of the tree at a suitable time of year. No way is it coming down completely, too beautiful for that. 

CliveOfIndia

Savvy_Sue said:

Thanks all, for the moment I'll persevere with the sheets, which I just trap inside the doors. Waiting to see what happens when it finally rains ... will the water stay outside or soak down inside the car???

If you mean old bed-sheets or similar - the moisture will find it's way into the car, causing havoc long-term, with moisture, condesnsation, inside  the car.

Savvy_Sue

CliveOfIndia said:

Savvy_Sue said:

Thanks all, for the moment I'll persevere with the sheets, which I just trap inside the doors. Waiting to see what happens when it finally rains ... will the water stay outside or soak down inside the car???

If you mean old bed-sheets or similar - the moisture will find it's way into the car, causing havoc long-term, with moisture, condesnsation, inside  the car.

I feared as much. I have a cunning plan ... and I think the sticky issue will improve once it rains!